


the stars fall in different places

by smug_albatross



Category: Star Wars: Rebels, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Enemies to Lovers, I did not plan to ship them but it happened anyway, M/M, i am suffering
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-13
Updated: 2020-06-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:13:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24658153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smug_albatross/pseuds/smug_albatross
Summary: The discarded Sith, the fallen Jedi, and the forgotten Captain. A comedy of failures to make the universe laugh - and, occasionally, to weep.
Relationships: Darth Maul & CT-7567 | Rex & Ahsoka Tano, Darth Maul/CT-7567 | Rex
Comments: 12
Kudos: 98





	the stars fall in different places

**Author's Note:**

> Let me tell you I was _furious_ when this ship came out of hyperspace and smacked me in the face, but it's grown on me and refuses to leave, so here we go.

He comes back.

That's the sticking point.

Ahsoka lets him go and tries to cut his head off in the space of maybe ten minutes and Rex would _love_ to shoot him except _he comes back._

He escapes their crashing metal coffin and he comes back.

Rex punches him, once they're all on board, and swears at him, and he's pretty sure that Maul would kill him in half a second if Ahsoka wasn't there, forcing them apart - but all Rex can think about are his brothers, dying, their minds stolen away by -

_Lord Sideous._

Maul bares his teeth. "He has killed both our families," he says. "It seems, my dear commander, we share a common goal."

* * *

They bury the dead.

Maul doesn't help, but he does wait, which is more than Rex expected of him. He looks annoyed, after the first few, but he keeps his opinions to himself and takes to disappearing into the surrounding landscape throughout the day. It becomes regular enough that Rex starts noticing when he leaves and comes back.

Rex finds Jesse on the second day.

More accurately, he finds his body.

For a moment, Rex just stands there, uncomprehending. Jesse can't be dead. He can't, he just - _he can't_ -

_I'm sorry Commander - I couldn't help it - I told him everything -_

_Commander Rex. You are in violation of Order Sixty-Six. I accuse you of treason against the Grand Army of the Republic. You will be demoted in rank from Commander, and subject to execution along with the traitor, Ahsoka Tano!_

Rex _screams._

Maul does not return that night, or any night after.

Ahsoka stays by Rex's side.

The ship remains.

* * *

Four years pass.

Rex isn't Rex anymore - he's Jaig: terrorist, traitor, assassin, murderer. (It doesn't matter to the Empire that all his targets were Inquisitors, or ISB agents, or Imperial Officers - actually, it _does_ matter, but not in the way it should.) He and Ahsoka work apart more often than not. Fulcrum is an icon, a beacon, a message of hope to the poor and the downtrodden. Jaig is the phantom that keeps the Empire up at night.

So maybe it isn't so surprising that Maul finds Jaig before he finds Fulcrum, but Rex is still surprised to see a head crowned in horns in the scope of his rifle.

He's even more surprised when Maul turns and smiles up at him.

(He's less surprised when he makes it back to his hideout after putting a bolt through the eye of a Major who ordered his troops to burn an entire city district to the ground, but he thinks, later, that part of that might just be the shock.)

"You want something," Rex says flatly, standing in his own doorway and refusing to ask _what_ Maul wants.

(Possibly to kill him, but that's still _something.)_

Maul doesn't answer him right away. "I thought it might be you," he murmurs, yellow eyes lingering on the blue jaig eyes on Rex's helmet. "But I wasn't sure until I sensed you stalking the Major. You are quite adept at covering your tracks, my dear commander."

"Captain," Rex says, before he can think better of it.

Maul raises a brow. "Oh?"

Well, in for a credit... "Technically, I was demoted."

"My condolences." Maul's eyes flicker to a point over Rex's shoulder. "Do come in, Captain. I am not here to hurt you."

Rex hesitates, but the sounds of an Imperial patrol up the street make the decision for him. He steps inside, closes the door, and seals himself in a room with Darth Maul, Sith Lord and former ruler of Mandalore, _vod'e'kyramud._

It is, perhaps, not the wisest decision he's ever made.

Maul smiles briefly, like he's _pleased,_ and Rex tightens his grip on his blaster. He doesn't think he'll win a fight, especially not in these close quarters - and Maul is a more deadly duelist than any Inquisitor - but he will not go down without a fight.

"There are two Inquisitors here," Maul says without preamble. "They landed on Ord Mantell fifteen minutes ago. They will reach the capital shortly."

 _Two._ Hmm. That could be a problem - the trick to fighting Inquisitors is taking them by surprise, taking them out before they have a chance to react. Even if he separates them, the other will be on their guard. "Why tell me?"

Maul's smile returns, wider now, harsher. "Because, my dear captain, any soldier who can kill - how many is it now? Two Inquisitors? Well, _that_ is someone worth keeping alive. And I am afraid Lady Tano will not reach you in time."

"It's three, actually." _Second Brother, Eighth Sister, Ninth Brother._ Rex smiles grimly at the slight start from Maul. It's gratifying, to surprise someone like this. "Which Inquisitors?"

Maul tilts his head, like a curious loth-cat. "The Third Sister," he says slowly, "and the Third Brother."

Third. Third was bad - the lower the number, the more dangerous the opponent. His chest ached with the memory of his desperate battle against the Second Brother. "And why are they here?"

Maul's eyes glow in the dim lamplight as he stares keenly at Rex. "You haven't figured it out yet? My dear captain, they are here for _you."_

* * *

It's an ugly fight.

There really isn't any other kind, though, not with Inquisitors, and Rex doesn't get any limbs chopped off, so it's not _that_ bad.

At least, not until the bombs go off.

He hears Maul shout, the Third Sister laugh, and then -

Fire, pain, and lots of nothing.

* * *

He wakes up to the sound of Ahsoka and Maul arguing.

He should probably be grateful they aren't actively trying to kill each other, given what happened _last_ time they were in the same place, but his head hurts and his mouth tastes like copper and he kind of doesn't want to deal with this right now.

But it's too late, because they've noticed he's awake.

"Rex!" That would be Ahsoka. "Hey. How are you feeling?"

 _"Kadala,"_ Rex answers. Basic hurts his head right now.

Maul snorts. Rex tries to glare at him.

Ahsoka is more successful. She sits down next to Rex, takes his hand. She's always been very kind. "The Inquisitors are dead." She glances sideways. "It... looks like Maul took care of them, after the building exploded."

"Naturally," Maul sniffs. "I couldn't have them coming after _me_ next, could I?"

Ahsoka ignores him, bless her. "I've made arrangements to have you transferred to a secure medical station," she says, deliberately leaving out the word _Rebel._ Her smile trembles, and Rex wonders how bad the damage really is. "You're gonna be fine."

Ah. Pretty bad, then.

* * *

He doesn't see Maul again until he's back on his feet.

It takes a while. The explosion had snapped his spine; "fortunately" the doctor tells him "it was a clean break." Rex thinks that maybe if he were _fortunate,_ he wouldn't have been blown up at all. He isn't actually discharged yet, but his legs work now and the doctors have decided to let him walk around without a babysitter, so Rex finds himself a decent corner and watches the distant stars.

(If he keeps scanning Imperial channels for any news of Fulcrum - or the elusive Shadow - that's nobody's business but his own.)

"Looking for me? My dear captain, I'm flattered."

Rex takes a moment to close his eyes and grit his teeth before turning around to face Maul, leaning against the door frame and looking insufferably smug. "What are you doing here?"

"Perhaps I am merely checking up on you. I heard your surgery went well."

What does that - "Why do you _care?"_ Rex snapped, getting to his feet, ignoring the slight twinge in his back.

Something in Maul's face shutters. "It's as I said," he says, cool, neutral. "Anyone who can kill three Inquisitors is worth keeping alive."

Rex shakes his head. "No."

Maul raises a brow. "No?"

"There's something else." Rex stares at Maul determinedly, trying to read that infernal tattooed face. "Some other game you're playing."

The smile returns to Maul's face. "Perhaps," he allows. "I do wish you luck in figuring it out, my dear captain."

And then he's gone, just like that, leaving Rex feeling like he's missed something very important.

* * *

It continues like that for a while.

Maul arrives wherever Rex is working - sometimes with Ahsoka, sometimes without her - to offer cryptic advice and an enigmatic smile. It becomes so frequent that when Maul _doesn't_ appear on a mission, Rex can't help but feel a little disappointed.

(He refuses to think about _why_ that might be, or even to acknowledge that it happens - but it happens nonetheless.)

After four missions with no word from Maul, Rex starts to get worried. Maul knows a great deal about Rebellion operations - if he fell into the Empire's hands -

The Rebellion _probably_ would have heard about it, but then again -

"I'm going to look for him," Rex tells Ahsoka over a game of dejarik as they ignore the responsibilities of the Rebellion for a few moments.

Ahsoka doesn't look up from the board as she smashed his Savrip with her K'lor'slug. "I'll go with you."

She shouldn't. Fulcrum has work of her own to do, people to protect and coordinate.

Fulcrum has an Empire to crush. Ahsoka, though - Ahsoka will always be there when her friends need her.

"Okay," Rex says.

* * *

Finding Maul is the easy part. It's _getting_ to him that's hard.

"This is not ideal," Rex deadpans, drawing on his long-held talent for understatement.

Ahsoka doesn't respond, just stares at the translucent holomap of the Imperial prison. The Spire of Stygeon Prime is supposed to be impregnable - but they'd said the same thing about the Citadel. (Neither of them think about the men they lost on Lola Sayu - but the thoughts arrive anyway. They are only two, and the Empire is many.)

It will not be easy, they know. But it must be done. Maul must be rescued - or silenced.

* * *

Rex hears Maul before he sees him.

The screams of the interrogated prisoners echo off the walls; Rex listens to a dozen voices before he hears one that's familiar. Screams - punctuated by snarls and shaky taunts. Bravado - Rex is, grudgingly, impressed. The Spire hasn't broken Maul yet.

He finds Maul's cell door and stops, listening to the sounds beyond. There's at least two others in the room with the prisoner. He glances up to Ahsoka, hiding in the ceiling vents, and signals to her. She lifts a finger.

One Inquisitor.

They can handle one Inquisitor.

Rex punches in the door code he stole from an officer's corpse and the door slides open. He empties an entire blaster pack into the chest of the ISB agent as Ahsoka pounces on the Inquisitor from the ceiling. The entire duel lasts three strikes - either the Inquisitors are getting worse, or Ahsoka's getting better. (Probably both.)

Maul laughs. Blood drips down his chin when he does, but his eyes are - his eyes are _alive,_ blazing so bright it takes Rex's breath away.

"My dear captain," he says, coughing. "Come to rescue me?"

Ahsoka glares. "Maybe," she snaps. "What did you tell them?"

Maul sniffs. "I wish to see Sideous fall as much as you do, _Lady_ Tano," he sneered. "If you are going to insult me during my own rescue, kindly leave me here."

Ahsoka quirks a brow and cuts through Maul's restraints. Rex moves automatically to catch him, but he's standing too far away and Maul's metal legs are _heavy_ so instead of _catching_ Maul, they both just kind of topple to the floor.

(Rex is pretty sure Ahsoka takes a picture for posterity-and-or-blackmail.)

"Why, Captain," Maul says after a moment, peering down at Rex. "I had no idea you cared so much."

Rex glares at him. "Get off me."

He doesn't wait for Maul to oblige, just shoves him off and picks himself up before hauling Maul to his feet. Somehow, the ex-Sith is lighter than he expected - even with the, again, _metal_ legs.

"Come on," Ahsoka says, turning back to the door. "We don't have much time."

"I hope you have a _plan,"_ Maul snips. (Rex may or may not dig his elbow into Maul's ribs.)

(He may or may not be alarmed at how prominent they are.)

* * *

They have a plan. _Had_ a plan.

It's been...forcibly altered.

"You will not make out of here alive," Maul notes. He sounds - calm. Rex doesn't think Sith _do_ calm, normally.

"Shut up and run," Rex growls, twisting around to fire at the stormtroopers chasing after them. Their aim is _abysmal,_ honestly, but there are a lot of them and eventually, one of them will get lucky.

Rex does the math in his head. It doesn't take long; Maul is slow, and he can't be interrogated if he's dead.

_Rescued - or silenced._

Jaig would do it. Jaig _has_ done it - but Rex won't.

He adjusts Maul's arm over his shoulders and presses onward.

* * *

Rex can't believe he's going to die for _Maul._

There are too many kriffing _people_ and it's not just stormtroopers anymore; Rex sees the black armor of purge troopers and the glare of a red lightsaber. He's not a fool - he knows that between Jaig and Fulcrum, Jaig is the expendable one.

(Rex would argue that Maul is more expendable than he is, but he knows that Ahsoka would never abandon _anyone_ to the mercy of the Empire and Maul - well, Maul just refuses to die. So that leaves Rex to take the blaster bolt.)

 _"Go,"_ Rex snarls at them both. "I'll find another way." It's a lie - and Ahsoka knows it too, judging by the way her eyes widen - but Rex is just holding onto the hope that Cody was right and his brothers will be waiting for him when the pain stops.

Maul seems to realize too. "Captain -"

Rex has to bodily _fling_ Maul into the shuttle. The engines are already online, the shuttle is lifting off -

Something _explodes_ at the small of his back and sends him toppling off the cliff.

He falls.

Rex closes his eyes and prays that the impact will kill him. Failing that, he prays he'll die of his injuries before the Empire finds him.

 _Something_ wraps around him - his stomach swoops as he stutters to a halt, and _floats._

Ah. The Force.

_Ahsoka._

He opens his eyes, reaching out for the shuttle - and nearly loses his grip when he sees Maul, hand outstretched, eyes blazing.

But he doesn't lose his grip, and Maul doesn't drop him (which is the real surprise) so when the shuttle breaks atmo, Rex is onboard. He may be trying not to vomit, but he's onboard.

"Why?" he asks, throat dry.

Maul's smile is thin as he takes in Rex's battered armor. "My dear captain, it would be the height of churlishness to let my rescuers die."

There's something else. There's _always_ something else. Rex stares at him.

He really has gotten thin.

* * *

They bring Maul to a medical facility that isn't technically affiliated with the Rebellion but also doesn't ask too many questions. Maul is tired, but he still manages to look amused at the idea.

"You okay?" Ahsoka asks him, once they're alone. "Came pretty close back there."

Rex sighed. "Yeah." He glances over his shoulder. "Guess he saved my life again."

"Strange feeling," Ahsoka muses. "To owe him something like that."

"No," Rex says slowly. "No, the strange part is that it isn't strange."

Ahsoka stares at him for a long moment.

Rex frowns. "What?"

"Nothing!" she says quickly. "I need to talk to Maul. See you in the mess."

Rex watches her go, baffled.

What did he _say?_

* * *

Ahsoka doesn't meet him in the mess. Rex tries not to worry, and fails miserably until she sidles through the doors, looking - _peeved_ is the word that springs to mind.

"Everything okay?" he asks as she sits down next to him, pushing food around on her tray with a fork.

Ahsoka huffs. "Maybe. I think so." She glances at him. "So... when did it stop being a surprise?"

Rex blinks. "What?"

"Owing him your life."

Is _that_ what he said? "I don't know," Rex admits, taking a drink of the tea that always reminds him of Cody. "I guess... somewhere between the showing up on my missions and the killing Imperials, I just..."

"Stopped hating him?"

Rex shakes his head. "Got used to him, more like."

"Uh-huh." Now _Ahsoka_ looks amused, and if these damn Force-users don't let Rex in on the joke he's going to - he doesn't know what. But it won't be pretty.

"You don't hate him?" Rex asks, mostly for a change of subject.

Ahsoka sighs and looks down at her food. "No," she admits quietly. "I'm not sure I ever did. Jedi don't hate, as a rule."

 _You're not a Jedi,_ Rex doesn't say, because he knows what she _means._

Rex has tried to have a conversation with himself about Maul several times over the years. It usually ends in an angry tangle of thoughts; half of him condemns Maul for killing so many of Rex's brothers, the other half cries that _Rex did the same._

 _I will not be the one to kill them,_ Ahsoka had said. But she had, and so had Rex, and so had Maul.

The difference was that Rex and Ahsoka had _tried._

(He thinks about Jesse, the way his voice had trembled, and tries to summon up the rage, but he... he just can't.)

(Hating people, as it happens, is exhausting - and Maul, for all his faults, for all his unrepentant crimes, is on their side.)

It's all a tangled mess, and Rex has been struggling to free himself from it since leaving Ord Mantell.

Perhaps he needs to confront it.

* * *

When Rex enters the room, Maul is sitting upright, which is the first surprise.

The second surprise is that he's not attached to any medical equipment. He stands when he sees Rex, head tilted like a curious loth-cat.

"My dear captain," Maul rumbles. "Whatever are you doing here?"

"Checking up on you," Rex says, because he doesn't know what else to say. _I want to talk to you_ just sounds... wrong. Or maybe just ominous.

Maul smiles briefly. "How thoughtful of you." His gaze sweeps over Rex's armor again; Rex wonders if he still has blood on it. "As you can see, I am fine. My people are... quite resilient." He takes a step forward, something in his face softening. "Would you take off your helmet, Rex?"

Rex hesitates. He tests his thoughts - the way Ahsoka taught him to look for mind-tricks - but he senses nothing.

He takes off his helmet.

It's fascinating to watch the way Maul's face changes as his eyes rove over Rex's face. The widening eyes, the slight intake of breath, the way his pupils dilated and his lips parted -

\- _not that Rex is paying attention to that_ -

Maul reaches towards Rex's face, waits a moment before touching his cheek. "You've aged."

"I'm a clone," Rex replies, feeling his cheeks head up from the contact. What is he, a touch-starved shiny? "It happens."

"Yes," Maul murmurs, letting his fingers trail along Rex's jaw. The contact just - it _feels good,_ in ways Rex is not wholly unfamiliar with but certainly wasn't expecting. "I suppose it would."

_What is he...?_

Maul rests his thumb on Rex's chin. "May I?"

Oh.

_Oh._

Rex has to take a moment to remember how to breathe. "Yes."

Maul's lips are warm and dry on his.

* * *

Rex stalks down the corridor the next day with his helmet on, trying to sort out the emotions whirling around in his head.

He _should_ be angry. He should be _furious_ , actually, at Maul's nerve, but unfortunately he just...isn't. Because the thing is, Maul _asked._ And that doesn't mean much from Maul, but Rex can't shake the feeling that if he hadn't said _yes,_ Maul would have let him be. No, that's not right - it's not a _feeling,_ he just _knows._ He knows Maul as well as anyone, and the former Sith does hold some things sacred.

Rex knows this now, and he knew it then, and he'd still said _yes_ and let Maul kiss him. And now he's - regretting it?

No. He's not. And that's the problem. Maul may not be _the_ enemy, but he is an enemy.

Isn't he?

* * *

That night, Rex stands outside Maul's door and wonders when, exactly, everything fell into place.

It isn't love, whatever he feels - there's too much ugly history between them for that - but it's _something_ and either he can't or he simply _won't_ pretend otherwise. He knows what he wants; not exclusivity, but assurance. _Come back._ All that remains is to see what Maul wants.

(Rex thinks he knows that too - _I do wish you luck in figuring it out_ \- but it's best not to assume.)

"I'll be missed," Rex says eventually. "People will notice."

Maul smiles, because he _knows_ , damn him, that Rex has already made up his mind. "Of course, my dear captain," he purrs. "But will they mind?"

**Author's Note:**

> Mando'a Translations  
>  _vod'e'kyramud_ \- brother-killer, not in the sense of kinslaying but one who has slain the siblings of the speaker  
>  _kadala_ \- hurt, wounded


End file.
